The dinner was held as the UK is expected to vote on the matter in next month's EU referendum. Lord Howard encouraged those in attendance to vote for the UK to leave the EU, while Mr Darling was speaking in favour of a vote to remain.

Responding to the CBI calling for the UK to remain in the EU, Lord Howard referred to the organisation's previous calls to become a full member of the European Monetary System and the Euro, saying these calls had been wrong, and suggesting this reduces the credibility of the CBI's current stance. Lord Howard also said if the UK left the EU and didn't replace it with some trade deal, which he described as "inconceivable", then the UK's exports would face EU import tariffs of 2.4% on average. He compared this to the UK's net contribution to the EU's budget, which he said was "equivalent to a seven per cent tariff."

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Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.